Forbes columnist Steven Salzberg and author-investigator Joe Nickell will each be awarded the 2012 Robert P. Balles Prize in Critical Thinking, to be presented by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry at the CFI Summit in October.

Messages to ‘Ask an Astrobiologist,’ May 2009

I am terrified about the recent talk about poles reversing and 2012. Do I need to prepare myself and accept this?

In late December 2012, three planets will line up correct? And the earth will pass next to the black hole in orion’s belt, and turn our planet upside down. My question is, will the earth’s gravity withstand it and hold us up and the oceans from going wild?

According to NASA scientists, the earth will stand still for about three days and then, in one hour, rotate a full 90 degrees (the geographical pole shift) during which time winds will be an average of 200 miles per hour. Every volcano on earth will erupt and of course there will be many earthquakes, so two thirds of earth’s population will die in that one hour. Is this true??

How can an astrobiologist have anything to say scientifically about nibiru, the Shumerian planet? With scientists around the world finding facts in the existing scriptures on everything else, including Pluto, then why would we not believe them about nibiru? How can we say nibiru doesn’t exist if science is only in the past few decades catching up with a science that has existed before civilized man?

There are various recent pictures and videos of an unidentified object that is beside the sun. If it is not Planet X what is it? I myself took a picture of the sun and have also captured the same object.

I am a legal administrative assistant and, having done my share of investigation, I find that the fact that the sun will pass in front of the earth and roughly eclipse the black hole at the centre of the Milky Way on Dec 21, 2012 decidedly compelling. There seems to be so much real evidence supporting the fact that something extraordinary is happening or going to happen, that I cannot simply dismiss it.

If Nibiru is a hoax, please explain to me why have you not tried to confirm this with the media to at least drain some fear out of the many people who are falling for this hoax.

Someone has said that the Nibiru can be visible by our eyes since 15th May 2009 in south hemisphere. Someone also said that you, NASA have known this planet X, Nibiru since 1983. I really feel afraid of the end of world. Please tell me the truth!!

Why NASA is hiding facts about nibiru? It really exists beyond pluto. There is photo proof for that. It seems to me that you and NASA hide something big.

I am from Pakistan, and here the propaganda of 2012 is rising day by day. A lot of people is doing business from 2012. My question is why is NASA not condemning these hoax?

Why doesn’t you and your government put a ban on the TV shows and report telecasting about Nibiru? If US can step to protect the world physically from terrorism, why can’t it protect us mentally from these news, if they are hoax?

If you claim that the nibiru planet is a hoax why is there actual footage from the nasa stating that the planet exists?

I am a Russian journalist. We in this country have many people who are anxious about problem Nibiru. I know that serious scientists including in the USA do not accept Nibiru theory of Zecharia Sitchin. But tell, please, who from the scientific USA does not support even the existence of Nibiru?

I don’t believe NASA. Nibiru will throw modern-day science as we know it for a loop. NASA knows it’s there, but all will be revealed soon. . . . So why are you not telling the truth? Please answer me, I’m a boy, and I’m 16 years old.

If Nibiru is such a hoax then why was it on the History Channel and why don’t you guys have censors for such “hoaxes” then? I have four little babies and I think all of the human race deserves to know the truth from you “experts”. If it’s real then do the right thing; if not quit letting these hoaxes confuse true issues please.

David Morrison

David Morrison is a long-time NASA senior scientist and Committee for Skeptical Inquiry fellow. He now divides his time between the SETI Institute and the NASA Lunar Science Institute. He hosts the "Ask an Astrobiologist" column at NASA's website.

Content copyright CSI or the respective copyright holders. Do not redistribute without obtaining permission. Thanks to the ESO for the image of the Helix Nebula, also NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team for the image of NGC 3808B (ARP 87).